Effects of Occupational Therapy Intervention on Motor Cognitive Behavioural Development of Infant Born Pre-term: A Systematic Review.

Aim: To synthesize the existing literature and determine the efficacy of occupational therapy intervention, starting in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), on the motor, cognitive, and behavioural outcomes of Indian infants born pre-term. Method: Databases were searched for randomized controlled trials, quasi-randomized controlled trials, pre and post studies etc of occupational therapy early intervention for infants with a gestational age of less than 37 weeks, initiated in the NICU and delivered by a therapist or parent with therapist support. Quality was evaluated using the Cochrane standardized risk of bias assessment tool. Recommendations were made using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations approach. Results: Ten studies met the inclusion criteria. Studies were categorized into four intervention categories: (1) nesting, positioning and diaper sizing; (2) multi-sensory stimulation; (3) KMC (skin to skin care) (4) oral-motor intervention. Risk of bias varied from low to high or was unclear. Interpretation: Preliminary support indicates that occupational therapy improves motor and cognitive outcomes in the short-term and possibly long-term. Occupational therapy intervention programmes for pre-term infants have a positive influence on cognitive and motor outcomes during infancy. A great deal of heterogeneity between studies was due to the variety of early developmental intervention programmes tested and to gestational ages of included pre-term infants; thus, comparisons of intervention programmes were limited. Further research is needed to determine which early developmental interventions are most effective in improving cognitive and motor outcomes, and to discern the longer-term effects of these programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]